We have known for quite some time that Motorola was working on new superphones featuring NVIDIA’s dual-core Tegra 2 processor (which we lovingly nicknamed Terminator) and now more details are beginning to leak out. At first we thought it was a Verizon exclusive, but later we learned it was coming to multiple carriers and would land on AT&T first.

AT&T’s version has the codename Olympus and Verizon’s version is being called Etna. Motorola must like naming their Tegra 2 devices after mountains because their Verizon tablet has the codename Everest.

We just reported that test units for the Olympus were running Android 2.2 with Motoblur, but these phones are not launching for several more months so hopefully Motorola can update them to Android 2.3 by the time they hit stores. The Everest tablet we expect will launch with Honeycomb.

It is believed that both versions of the “Terminator” will be quite similar and that is the reason why people were referring to the leaked pics as both Olympus and Etna. However, Verizon’s version is launching later and that might be because they requested some tweaks from Motorola.

Jonathan Geller, Mr. Boy Genius, is reporting that one of his Motorola sources told him the Verizon version will be “100% LTE-compatible”. We have speculated in the past that the “Terminator” would be a 4G device and given that Verizon said their first 4G LTE handset would arrive in February, this is starting to sound believable.

We still don’t know the actual product names, but the Verizon version will almost certainly be marketed under the DROID brand. To date AT&T does not really have a flagship brand for their high-end Android phones, so we are still waiting to find out what name they pick.

Verizon 4G LTE is expected to launch in 38 markets next month, so if you live in one of those lucky cities then keep an eye on the Motorola Etna. Some have also speculated that the HTC Mecha (Incredible HD) might be Verizon’s first 4G handset, but the Motorola offering looks more exciting thanks to its dual-core processor.

If you are on Verizon, which upcoming 4G phone are you most excited about? Is it the Motorola Etna with Motoblur UI or the HTC Mecha with Sense UI?

Taylor is the founder of Android and Me. He resides in Dallas and carries the Samsung Galaxy S 4 and HTC One as his daily devices. Ask him a question on Twitter or Google+ and he is likely to respond. | Ethics statement

Most Tweeted This Week

I agree Jag. I couldn’t be more excited as an at& customer. I hope it ships with 2.3.

orginn

If this follow suite like the rest of the att android phones it will be locked down with no side loading, I’m holding for nexus s

http://Website Christopher

Enjoy your shitty network! YYYYYYYEAH!

Verizon is NUMERO UNO!

http://Website Icon

Honestly it all depends on what specs interest me more. I would much rather go back to HTC, but if the specs for the Mecha don’t live up to the Etna then I will go with motorola. But trust that one of them will be mine.

http://Website AceoStar

100% agree. I’m pretty certain one of the two of these will be my next phone. I really hope mecha sports dualcore/LTE as well

http://Website UniqueNate

I’m not even a At&T or Verizon customer but it all sounds good. I also heard it would be a new revised version of MotoBlur. Guess we will see. It looks like a lot of options are coming fast. Making us all feel like a little kid in a candy store huh?

One thing I want to know is, if the Etna is going to be Tegra 2, then what does the Mecha have against it? Even if the Mecha is LTE, what type of processor will it have to compete with the Tegra 2? LTE is fast but that’s more so for data speeds, not performing wise. Even if they have a dual core Qualcomm, how does that match up to Tegra 2? I guess we all will have to continue playing the waiting game. I know most people will favor Sense over MotoBlur. They just might go with the Tegra 2. So many things to look into…smh

It will be nice if the Moto T2 phone does come to all carriers, because I haven’t heard any leaked Tegra 2 phone coming to Sprint yet. I’m sure they’ll get one but all the leaked ones mention other carrier names. As you can see I am a Sprint customer.

MC

Like many others, I favor Vanilla! As a long-time MotoBlur sufferer, I am seeking a permanent cure that DOESN’T entail my taking extraordinary measures to remediate – and I consider, “rooting” to be one of those, “extraordinarly measures!”

http://Website st4xor

+1 for Stock Android.

The phone that will replace my Droid will be VZW 4G with a **keyboard**. But based on current trends, I guess that means i’ll have to settle for non-stock android.. in which case I think id much rather have Sense.

http://Website JohnB

I don’t think Mecha can compete with this phone. Mecha is expected to be a clone of Desire HD, which means it will come with MSM8255 (a single core 2nd gen Snapdragon) – good by single core processor standard but no chance against dual-cores.

There will be two dual-cores from Qualcomm – MSM8260/MSM8660 (http://bit.ly/gCXHTO) and MSM8960 (http://bit.ly/aFSS1D). The first one will be based on Cortex A8 so it may not be as good as Tegra 2 for CPU intensive tasks while the latter will be competitive, especially with the new GPU.

http://Website UniqueNate

Also to add another thing it would be smart if Sprint makes theirs (if they get this) a 4G phone. It would compete with Big Reds LTE. Otherwise Big Red would set themselves apart from the other carriers versions. Like the Epic did with the other Galaxy variants.

IHTCEvo

I hate Motoblur :( But the specs seem good and hopefully it will come to Sprint and T-mobile.

Secondly, remember, T-Mobile’s interpretation of, “4G” (AGAIN, quotes intended) is HSPA+ – which is not compatible with either LTE or WiMax and is basically only a higher-speed derivative of 3G.

http://Website IHTCEvo

I know but I meant I want some type of “4g” tegra 2 phone to come to both Sprint and T-Mobile.

MC

I just haven’t the words to express my, “excitement” (quotes intended) about Verizon’s launching 38 LTE markets in the U.S. — and not a single one of ‘em can be used as Verizon apparently believes having equipment available that can utilize the capability is inconsequential!

Hubris! I remain, a T-Mobile customer…

http://Website Greg

Dude, lay off the commas. Please.

http://Website swazedahustla

@uniquenate

Ofcourse sprint will drop one that is 4G. Anything high end phone from now on coming from sprint will be a 4G phone. I mean why wouldn’t it be. I believe HTC will drop some sweet stuff with this next one. EVO better look out.

http://Website Eric

I think I’m going to have to give up my DX for this phone. The only bad thing is it kind of looks like the Galaxy S phones found here in the U.S.

falmc

If it didnt have the Motorola branding I would of guessed it as a Samsung o_O

doesnt really have the moto aesthetics of the other phones, seems very samsung plastic/gloss obsessive (not necessarily a bad thing just dont expect it from moto)

http://roughridergames.blogspot.com/ ColdFusion71

I haven’t been one to get overly excited about new phones as of late, mostly because I can’t get one anytime soon, but this is actually whetting my appetite. I really cant wait for someone to get their hands on this phone and put it through the paces.

http://Website Drew

The Mecha would have to have some sort of dual core for me to consoder it. I’d like to try a HTC phone, most of Moto’s hardware doesn’t have the sexy form factor that HTC’s does. I’m not really diggin’ the Etna’s hardware looks. It does have some good specs going for it though.

http://Website Richard

Truthfully…..THE HTC EVO 4G RULES ANDROID SINCE JUNE 4 2010 ….HTC WILL PRODUCE EITHER THE EVO 2 OR SOMETHING THAT WILL BE EVOISH WITH QUALCOMM DUEL CORE….UNTIL THEN HTC EVO 4G IS KING OF ANDROID WHO WILL KNOCK US OFF???

http://Website UniqueNate

I would hope the Evo 2 would be a dual core. How else would it compete next year. I’m not worried about that. What worries me a little is, how do dual core snapdragon processors stand against tegra 2? Tegra 2 enhances every area of the phone (internals). Battery, gpu, cpu. I’m sure Qualcomm could do the same, but on what level going against Tegra 2. That’s my last question that determines what I will buy.

I mean you can expect every tegra 2 phone to be pretty damn awesome, but I don’t want a phone that was made by a maker and they call it competition because they threw in any kind of dual core for simply speed. I want quality. I personally felt this year phones were just slapped together with the popular internals and still came out awfully buggy or no quality. We’ll see.

http://Website Spencer

What do you think about Samsung’s Orion processor? It’s rumored to appear in the Galaxy S 2 and the rest of its specs seemed pretty amazing. My only concern on buying it (from my Droid X) is be how the processor compares to Tegra 2. Any thoughts?

http://Website jayy336

MOTOBLUR?!?!!? thanks………but no thanks.

http://Website Zer0-9

No Keyboard = No Way

CLI with a virtual kb is too annoying.

http://Website ty

motorola with launcherpro plus

http://Website Tommy3141

If its all true it is enough for me to switch from being a 12 year loyal Sprint customer to Verizon for the best Android devices, LTE and a decent tablet. Thanks for the article!

http://Website Rashaan

Definitely looking forward to the Motorola Tablet. I am a Sprint customer, hope Sprint gets the Motorola tablet. Also hope the Terminator comes to Sprint as a 4g phone

http://www.avaqom.com HackNet

Looks like the Atrix 2G

http://koowie.com Koowie

it does

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